Book of Earth
by Shy no Jutsu
Summary: A love story between the blind earth bender and the banished fire prince!
1. Blindness

Earth Book One: Blindness

Toph felt her hands begin to shake in pure anger as she looked at the banished prince in front of her. "How dare you." Large chunks of earth coming to her hands as she shook with anger. "It's not my fault you're pretty much useless." Zuko's smirk was invisible to Toph but was evident in the tone of his voice. Toph threw the blocks of earth towards his head and a slash of air threw both of the chunks apart. Zuko was showered with debris as Aang walked in between the two. "Stop it!" Voice raising in agitation his hands clenched into fists. The usually peaceful avatar couldn't stand this any longer; the two had been fighting for weeks with no breaks. If only they could see their similarities instead of their differences.

The older brother of Katara stood shaking his head and walking over to Aang. "Oh come on let children be children." He said with a stern look at Toph. Toph's mouth opened slightly in shock at his words. She was not a child in any way, and for him to call her so was an insult. The still smirking reject looked at her, "Looks like all's not well in wonderland." He said walking away. Hair splayed across the blind girls eyes as she looked down with hurt in her unseeing eyes. A grimace came across her face; maybe Zuko was right she was useless. Her arms fell to her sides, and she felt defeated, but her head would be held high. Never would that 'prince' know of her pain. Was he just getting into her mind? No use to linger on it; Toph thought to herself.

"You're going to have to get along soon you know." The boy avatar said looking at Toph with tired eyes. Her only response was to glare at the tent where he disappeared. What he said was true; it wouldn't be long until the two were on their own. Aang was traveling with Katara and her older brother to Ba Sing Se. The three of them had agreed that it wouldn't be safe to bring Toph along. With the injury to her heel she was relatively blind. Toph could see through striking the ground and feeling the vibrations. With her injury she was completely blind and felt helpless. Another shake of her head as she thought of being along with Zuko. One thing would be completely certain, they wouldn't be sleeping anywhere near each other. They would have to stay together for both of their safety, but that didn't mean they had to be too close.

It wasn't as if Toph had her eyes on anyone other than Sokka. The boy made her heart race when he was close to her. It seemed even he had begun to pull away from her as well. Toph shook her head and heard the rustling of Aang as he stood up. "Wait… how are we going to meet up again?" Blind eyes looked up to Aang. "I'll be writing letters, as well as the others." He said with a small smile. Toph felt a bit better knowing that they would keep contact. She couldn't survive without her friends especially in her time of need.

The dimming light of the sun fit the fire prince perfectly as he walked into the light. Toph looked over hearing the rustling. Her face was a scowl as she looked over to him. The feeling of weight beside her was familiar but certainly not Zuko. It was usually Katara trying to heal her feet or Aang with his light airy spirit. Now the man sitting beside her let out a small sigh. "If you don't want to sit here there are other logs." Toph pressed a hand to her mouth averting his eyes though she couldn't see them she could feel them. "Look I'm not here to argue." Heat pressed against Toph's face making her flinch. Blazing in front of them was the small fire Zuko kept lit.

Silence hung heavily over the two as if a blanket, but not one of comfort. Finally Zuko was the first to speak, "We're going to have to get along if we're both to survive this trip." Surprised the blind earth bender looked over to Zuko, "I don't think I want to kill you yet." She said with a small smile on her face. "Me either." Zuko said with a small grimace of a smile. The feeling on his lips was awkward. It wasn't a completely unpleasant feeling though. Perhaps one over time he would get used to.


	2. Castle of the Forgotten

Earth Book Two: The Castle of the Forgotten

Night came quickly upon them all, and as they put out the final embers of the flame Toph had already fallen asleep. Unaware of anything other than her dream Toph didn't notice being moved by a protective Sokka into the same tent as Zuko. Zuko glanced over at the girl and pressed himself against the wall of the tent hoping not to be touched.

Toph shook gently as she was laid down. The covers were pulled over her, and her eye lids fluttered as if a farewell to the waking world. _Wind blows through my hair as I stand atop a peak of misery. _Toph looked around trying to see who was speaking to her; though she was blind she could feel someone was here. _Won't you save me from being forgotten, I'm in a castle of my fears. _The words were a haunting melody that struck Toph deep in her heart. She reached a hand out and her fingers gripped something cold in front of her. She ran her fingers along the cold skin and her heart lurched. _You touch my skin but my soul is beyond your reach! I will rot for eternity._ Toph called out, "Please I'll try to help you who are you?" She asked. _I'm you!_ The form screamed and Toph woke up with strong hands gripping her arms. "Toph wake up it's only a dream!" Blind eyes opened and the small girl lurched forward grabbing the man in front of her clinging to the warmth like a fearful child. Zuko sat for a second stunned and then wrapped his arms around the shaking girl in front of him. Toph pulled back after a few seconds her hair spilling across her eyes. "S-Sorry about that." She said her face flushed. "Don't mention it, seriously don't." Zuko said still in a bit of a daze.

Soon Zuko was lying down his eyes closed though he hadn't found his way into the deep sleep that usually attacked him at night. The feeling that something was there with Toph wouldn't leave her alone so she sat up. Zuko finally rolled over, "I knew you weren't asleep." A bored voice said. "Can't get anything by you." Zuko said sarcastically. _If I actually cared I might be offended._ Toph thought to herself with a roll of her eyes.

The rest of the night there was a gentle silence that settled over the tent. Toph didn't sleep anymore, but surprisingly wasn't tired. "Zuko?" She asked pushing his shoulder. "Uhh." Zuko said rolling over. Toph blindly looked at him, "Wake up I hear something outside." Because of her blindness Toph's hearing was amazing, and more than compensated for her blindness. Not surprisingly Zuko heard nothing outside. Unzipping the door to the tent Zuko peered out and beneath him he saw a vole stirring in the leaves. "It's just a mouse." Zuko said with a groan. She had made him move over a mouse. He shook his head the scarred eye twanging with slight pain. Even today he still could feel the pain of the damage his father had done to him.

Toph could sense that he was annoyed but it was better that they knew what it was. She wasn't very concerned about a small mouse though. Suddenly movements beneath Toph made her jump and start to move. "Ahh! What is that?" Toph said in a hoarse whisper. She began to jump doing a strange jig like motion. Suddenly she felt something bite her bum and she jumped into Zuko's lap. "You just can't seem to keep your hands off me today." Zuko said rolling his eyes. "It bit me!" Toph squeaked her bum still aching. "Where did it bite you… I might be able to help." Zuko said looking concerned. "M-my bum." Toph said. "Alright roll over." Zuko said. Toph looked at him her cheeks flaming. "You can't be serious!" She said. An eyebrow arched as Zuko looked at her, "I'm serious." He said.

Toph's eyes widened but she did as he requested rolling onto her stomach. Zuko's hands drew around the waist band of her pants and Toph squeaked. "What are you doing?" She asked. Without responding he pulled her pants down her plump ass exposed in front of him. He felt blood blow go to his hips, and Zuko blushed. He felt his member begin to harden. He closed his eyes focusing and pressed his hands against her rump pressing into the bite which was bleeding. His fingers were pleasantly warm and a small moan escaped Toph's lips. He pressed in completely and the wound sealed leaving a small pink scar. Zuko pulled her pants back up and crossed his legs pulling a blanket over him and avoiding eye contact. Toph looked over at Zuko with her eyebrow arched but shrugged it away.


End file.
